Signal-control mechanism.



W. MICHAEL.

V SIGNAL CONTROL mommsm.

APPLICATION IILBD "OUT. 29, 125122..

Patentefl July 1, 1 913.

2 sums-sum 1v.

W MICHAEL SIGNAL CONTROL HEOHANISM.

APPLIOATIOH mm) 001x20, 1912.

Patented July 1, 1913,

SHEETS-$3331 2.

INVENTOR ATTORNEYS UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.-

WLALTER MICHAEL, 0F OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA.

SIGNAL-CONTROL MECHANISM.

, Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 1, 1913].

Original application filed June 12, 1912, Serial No. 703,130. Divided and this application filed October 29,

1912. Serial No. 728,457.

To all whom it mdg concern: 3

Be it known that I, WALTER MICHAEL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Oakland, in the county of Alameda, State of California, have invented a new and useful Signal-Control Mechanism, of which the following is a specification.

'My present invention is a division of application .No. 703,130, filed June 12th, 1912, and has for an object to provide a mechanically controlled device which may be bperated by the engine room telegraph and for mechanical operation.

positively prevent the misunderstanding of signals from the bridge to the engine room of'vessels.

With the above in view my invention in its broad and generic scope consists of novel means for locking the reverse lever of the main engine in such position that it is only operative in the direction for which the signal'has been given, andinovel means for mechanically operating the locking mechanism.

It further consists of other novel features of construction, all as will be hereinafter fully set forth.-

' For the purpose of illustrating my invention, I have shown in the accompanying drawings thoseforms thereof which are at present preferred by me, since the same have been found in practice to give satisfactory and reliable results, although it is to be understood that the various instrumentalities of which my invention consists can be va- Y rlonsly arranged and organized and that; my m-vention is not limited to the precise arrangement andorganization of these instrumentalities as herein shown and de-.

scribed Figure 1 represents a front elevation of a device embodylng myinvention, in assembled condition with respect to the reverse Fig. 2 represents a.

lover of an engine. side elevation of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 represents a side elevation of my device as-adapted Fig. 4 "repre-' sents' a sectional elevation of a portion" of Fig. 3 on an enlarged scale. Fig. 5 repre- I sents a sectional view similar to-Fig. 4, butshowing the parts in a different position with respect to" each other. Fig. 6 represents a side elevation ofa portion of Fig. 3.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in the figures.

Refer ring to the drawings: 1 designates the reverse lever of the main engine, the hub of which has connected therewith a ratchet 2 so positioned as to be engaged by a pawl vented in one direction but permitted-in the opposite direction and corresponding interlocking of the otherratchet engaging member operates in a converse manner.

7- and 8 designate cables passing around pulleys 9 and securedat one end to the pawl 3 in juxtaposed relation so that operation of the said cables causes the pawl 3. to move in one direction or the other according as to which of thezcables exertsthe pulling action. The opposite ends of the cables 7 and 8, in the present instance, pass between guide sheaves 10 and around the sheave segment '11, which latter is mounted on the spindle 12 which carries thetelegraph pointer 13. It will be noted that the said segment 11 and its adjuncts are preferably mounted in a box 15. The segment 11 is providedv with an operating handle 14 it being understood that the segment 11 and its adjuncts are preferably mountedin a box 15.

16 and 17 designate springs interposed in Ithe lengths of the cables 7 and 8 respec- ;tively in order that the cables may be kept undertension and anyslack taken up there- ;by. The spindle 12, in the present instance, icarries a plurality of pulleys 18 and 19, which are suitably mounted to rotate therewith, to which are connected the cables 20- land 21, these-latter passing over suitable pulleys 22 and operati ely connected to a sheavez 23 which is pre erably mounted on the bridge of the ship and may be shifted as desired through the medium of the operfating handle 24.

The method of operating: my novel device should now be readily apparent and is as follows: When the sheave 11 is in the position seen in Fig. 3 which corresponds to the lstop position of' the telegraph pointer 13, the

lpawl 3 Will belin the position seen in said Fig. 3 in which the ratchet engaging members 5 and 6 are out of agreement with the ahead and the ratchet engaging member 6 will engage with the ratchet'2 in the mannor seen in Fig. 4, so that the reverse. lever 1 can only move in the ahead direction and consequently prevents the reverse lever 1 from being moved in the wrong direction. If the sheave 11 is moved in the astern direction, then the ratchet engaging member will interlock with the ratchet '2, so that the reverse lever 1 can only be moved in the astern direction.

It will now be apparent that I provide means for preventing any misunderstanding of-signals from the bridge to the engine room since the reverse lever of the main engine is positively locked so that it is operative only in'the direction for which the signal' has been given, and I provide means for operating the locking mechanism in a direct and positive manner.

' It will now be 'apparent that I have devisedra novel and useful construction of a mechanism for insuring understanding of signals from bridge to engine room which embodies the features of advantage enumerated as desirable in the statement of the invention and the above description, and while I have, in the present instance, shown and described a preferred embodiment thereof which has been found in' practice to give satisfactory and reliable results, it isto be understood that the same is susceptible of modification in various particulars without departing from the spirit or scope; of the invention or sacrificing anyof its advantages.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desireto secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a device of the character stated, the combination with the engine reverse lever, of a ratchet carried thereby, a pawl interlocking with said ratchet to prevent its movement in one direction, cables connected with said pawl to throw it into and'out of interlocking position, a tension device secured to sald cables, and an operating member connected with said cables.-

2. In a device of the character stated, the combination with the engine reverse lever, of

' a ratchet carried thereby, apawl mterlock- .ing with said ratchet to prevent its move ment in one direction, cables connected with said pawl to throw 1t into and out of interoperating leyer,

that one of said pawlsinterlocks vvitl locking position, an operating lever connected with said cables, a shaft for said a pulley on said shaft, and means operatively connected with said pulley for actuating said operating lever from a distant point.

3. In a device of the character stated, the

combination with the engine reverse lever, a ratchet carried thereby, a pawl interlocking with said ratchet to prevent its movement'in one direction, cables connected with said pawl to throw it into andout of interlocking position, and an operating member connected with said cables.

4. In a device of the character stated, the combination with the engine reverse lever, a ratchet carried thereby, a lever pivotally mounted adjacent said ratchet, a plurality of pawls carried by said lever, cables connected with said lever to throw it into and ,out of interlocking position in either direction of movement, and an operating member connected with said cables, said parts being arranged so that one of said pawls interlocks with said ratchet in either position of said lever.

5. In a device of the character stated, the combination with the engine reverse lever, of a ratchet carried thereby, a pawl interlocking with said ratchet 'to prevent its movement in one direction, cablesconnected with saidpawl to throw it into and out of interlocking position an operating lever connected with said cables, a shaft for said operating member, a signal device carried by said shaft, a second operating lever located at a distant point, and connections between said second operating. lever and said shaft for actuating said signal device.

6. In a device of the character stated, the combination with the engine reverse lever, of a ratchet carried thereby, a lever pivotally mounted adjacent said ratchet, a plurality of pawls carried by said lever, cables connected to said lever to throw it in either direction, an operating lever connected with said cables, said parts being arran ed so 1 said ratchet. in either position of said lever, a shaft for said operating lever, a signal device carried by said shaft, a second operating lever located at a distant point, and means forming a connection between said second operating lever and said shaft to actuate said -signal device.

IVA LTER MICHAEL.

Witnesses: v

FREDERI K Bmosann,

MAURICE ASHER. 

